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New Government Makes Affordable Post-Secondary Education A Top Priority In Throne Speech

OTTAWA, Dec. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Students are thrilled to hear in today's Speech from the Throne that the Trudeau government is committed to creating more opportunities for young Canadians by working with the provinces and territories to make post-secondary education more affordable.

"In today's throne speech, we heard loud and clear that affordable post-secondary education is both a goal of this new government and a direction we are headed together," said Bilan Arte, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, "After more than a decade of neglect, students are excited to have elected a federal government that recognizes its responsibility to post-secondary education in Canada'.

The Trudeau government was elected with a strong mandate that included a direct recommendation from the Canadian Federation of Students to eliminate inefficient post-secondary education related tax credits and reinvest in upfront needs-based grants for Canada's students. The Federation has been lobbying for the introduction of a federal Post-Secondary Education Act in cooperation with the provinces, accompanied by a dedicated cash transfer, to protect public investments.

"This country's reliance on student debt to finance our public post-secondary institutions is simply unsustainable," said Arte. "It's time for a national strategy to address the underfunding for our colleges and universities to ensure access to high-quality, affordable education for all of Canada's students."

As the largest student organisation in the country, the Canadian Federation of Students will continue to provide this government with an action plan to achieving fully accessible public post-secondary education.

The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student organization, uniting more than one-half million students across Canada. The Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organizations have represented students in Canada since 1927 in their call for fully accessible public post-secondary education.

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Students

For further information: Sarah McCue, Communications Coordinator, 613-797-6626 or s.mccue@cfs-fcee.ca